


What Are You Hiding?

by LiGi



Series: Merthurweek 2020 [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Christmas Fluff, Cute, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Sneaky Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28284843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiGi/pseuds/LiGi
Summary: Methurwekk2020 Day 4Merlin is acting suspicious trying to sneak something into Arthur's chambers.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthurweek 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067003
Comments: 8
Kudos: 87
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	What Are You Hiding?

**Author's Note:**

> Merthurweek2020 - Day 4 - "What are you hiding, Merlin?" + Fun

Arthur was making way back to his chambers after training when he spotted him. Merlin had been suspiciously absent from the practise field that morning. Usually he would sit at the side of the field, polishing armour or sharpening swords and making snarky comments at Arthur and the knights. Bantering with Gwaine and Elyan or being gently teased by Leon or clapping enthusiastically if Lancelot managed to get a hit on Arthur. Not today though.

Arthur had suspected it was the weather that had kept Merlin away as it was starting to get bitingly cold and hard frost made the grass crunch underfoot. But then Percival had mentioned seeing Merlin heading towards the woods.

What had his servant been up to?

Arthur was trudging up the stairs towards his chambers, hoping Merlin was back so he could pour him a nice hot bath – he could barely feel his toes in his frozen boots – when he’d caught sight of the familiar brown jacket and flash of red neckerchief.

Arthur had spotted Merlin scurrying down a corridor with one hand tucked into the front of his jacket, clearly hiding something. He’d decided to follow him. Merlin was looking shifty.

Merlin was making a beeline for Arthur’s chambers, and rightly so, but he had the guilty air of someone doing something they should not be doing.

As he got to the doors of Arthur’s chambers he looked quickly over his shoulder, glancing up and down the corridor to check he was alone. That was when he spotted Arthur who had stepped into the middle of the corridor and crossed his arms.

Arthur grinned as Merlin almost fell over with surprise.

“What are you hiding, Merlin?” he said overly pleasantly, trying to keep his mirth in check.

Merlin whipped fully around, his eyes wide and guilty as his face began turning red.

“Nothing. I wouldn’t hide anything from you.” He shook his head frantically. Arthur noticed with satisfaction that Merlin’s ears had gone red too. His right hand was still stuffed in the front of his jacket.

“So what’s in your jacket then?”

Arthur tilted his head to the side, gesturing towards Merlin with his chin. Merlin looked down at his chest, then up at Arthur, then back down again before answering.

“Nothing! Me!” His left hand flailed around, pointing at himself. “I’m in my jacket!”

Rolling his eyes, he stalked towards Merlin. Merlin pulled his hand out of his jacket and waved them both innocently.

“See. Nothing. Nothing to see!”

Arthur lunged, grabbing Merlin’s wrist and hauling him towards him. Merlin batted at Arthur’s chest – in a way a servant really shouldn’t do to a prince – trying to push him away.

“You’re a terrible liar, Merlin, you know that.”

“No, I’m not!

“Yes.” Arthur nodded, still wrestling with Merlin to get his hand underneath his jacket. “You are.”

Merlin squirmed out of Arthur’s grip with a little ‘ha!’ making to run off down the corridor but Arthur grabbed the back collar of his jacket. He tried to tug it down. Merlin curled his arms up so the jacket couldn’t slide past his elbows, tucking his arms close to his chest.

“Let me see,” Arthur grunted. Merlin was much stronger than he looked.

“No!”

“Why not?”

Arthur finally managed to wrestle the jacket off of a very red faced Merlin, who made a snatch for his belt and a small sprig of leaves tucked into it just above his hip.

“Aha!” Arthur dropped Merlin’s jacket on the floor and grabbed the little plant before Merlin could.

It was a sprig of mistletoe. A grin spread across Arthur’s face. He ignored the way his stomach did a rather pleasant little flip.

“What’s this for then?” he asked innocently, his eyes fixing on Merlin’s.

“Nothing,” Merlin answered too quickly.

“Oh Merlin, come on.” _Just admit it!_ his mind screamed, his heart racing.

“Uh… _Gwaine_ asked me to get it! He wants to put it in the hall to try and catch one of the maids!”

Arthur held back a laugh, Merlin’s lies were getting worse. Deciding to play along, he twirled the mistletoe between his fingers.

“So why were you taking it to my chambers then?”

“Um… well because…” Merlin pulled a face, like it was incredibly obvious and Arthur was the stupid one for not knowing the answer. “I… Gwaine is out on patrol right now, so I can’t give it to him yet, I’ll give it to him later!”

“Gwaine finished training with me ten minutes ago, Merlin. Then he went straight to his chambers.”

“Oh. Well. I’ll just go and give it to him then.”

Merlin held his hand out. Arthur lifted the mistletoe above his head out of Merlin’s reach. (Of course it wasn’t at all out of Merlin’s reach because Merlin was taller than Arthur but Arthur wasn’t going to admit that.)

“I think you’re lying,” he said instead, slowly and without breaking eye contact. “Gwaine has nothing to do with this.”

“But he does!” Merlin protested weakly.

“I happen to know that Gwaine is seeing one of the seamstresses at the moment and definitely does not need mistletoe in order to kiss her.”

“Really?” Merlin brightened, a grin spreading over his face. “Who? Is it Bethan? Or Mirian? Or –”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Good to see that you take such interest in your friends, prat,” Merlin grumbled.

“He was late for practise this morning,” Arthur complained. He wasn’t actually annoyed about it, Gwaine didn’t really need to practise, he was one of the best fighters already and Arthur wouldn’t begrudge him a little fun in his down time. He waved a dismissive hand. “I overheard him telling Elyan.”

“How did I not know about this?” Merlin muttered, bewildered, his eyebrows pinching cutely.

Arthur shook his head.

“Shut up, Merlin. You can’t change the subject. Now, I’ll ask you again.” He put a hand under Merlin’s chin, lifting it so their eyes met. Merlin’s pupils blew wide as they met Arthur’s. “Why were you taking mistletoe to my chambers?” he finished in a whisper.

Merlin huffed out a sigh, his ears turning red again and mumbled something incomprehensible. Arthur took a deep breath and licked his lips.

“Was it, by any chance, so you could do –” Arthur leant forwards, holding the mistletoe above Merlin’s head, his heart hammering. “– this?” He pressed his lips to Merlin’s.

Merlin squeaked, his eyes going wide and his whole body going rigid.

Instantly Arthur pulled back. He let go of Merlin’s chin as if burnt and dropped the hand holding the mistletoe to his side. Shit. He let the sprig of leaves fall from his slack fingers. He took a step backwards, his foot hitting the wall behind him.

“Sorry, Merlin, I –”

Merlin cut him off with a kiss.

Arthur’s back was pressed into the wall as Merlin leant against him, his hands on Arthur’s chest. Merlin’s lips were soft and warm against Arthur’s chapped ones. He felt like his stomach was doing hot somersaults as his hands slid up Merlin’s back.

“You just took me by surprise,” Merlin said as they parted, his lips quirking up on one side.

Arthur let out a breathy laugh, letting his head fall back to thud against the wall.

Bending down to pick up the sprig of mistletoe, Merlin gave a little ‘oh!’ of annoyance. He straightened and held the sprig in Arthur’s face. The leaves were crumpled, the berries squashed.

“You trod on it!” he cried.

“Merlin,” Arthur said fondly, unable to stop the grin from spreading across his face. “You don’t need it anymore.” He yanked him forwards by his neckerchief, kissing him firmly. “Now come and help me have a bath.”


End file.
